Gender, Culture and Children services Cabinet Secretary(CS) Hanna Cheptumo has called for immediate arrest of four brothers, who were allegedly seen on video footage assaulting their sister, over her refusal to reunite with an estranged husband.
The recent video that went viral on the social media platforms showed the woman, identified as Millicent Rotiken, crying for help as four men assaulted her with sticks.
The police later arrested the person, who took the video footage, amid reports that the four brothers were still at large.
The CS, who held a meeting at the County Commissioner’s office and also visited the woman’s home at Nkarretta village, reiterated that the barbaric act was illegal and the four culprits should be punished for infringing on the rights of the woman.
“This woman had been married earlier; she is a mother of a four-year-old son and a seven year old girl. She was three months pregnant when she was being assaulted,” explained Cheptumo.
However, the CS acknowledged the rich Maa culture but still regretted the unfortunate incident, which she said portrayed a bad image for the community and the country at large.
“We have been told that only the previous husband, who took the video footage, has been arrested. We have agreed with the security team that the quartet must be arrested immediately,” she underscored.
Cheptumo stated that the incident will serve as a deterrent in a region where so many other similar cases go unreported.
“Everybody chooses whom to marry, and if you are married and not happy, you can walk out and get married to another person,” added the CS.
She reiterated that they will not allow this particular case to follow the Alternative Justice System (AJS) path, as the incident was heinous and the perpetrators must face full force of the law.
Cheptumo confirmed that the affected woman was now in safe hands, but did not disclose the exact locality she had been placed.
On her part, Narok Women representative Rebecca Tonkei said every person had the sovereign right to make a choice on the person to marry or not to marry, saying it was heinous to subject a young woman to such enormous torture
Others present at the meeting included Gender and Affirmative Action PS, Anne Wang’ombe, Narok North Member of Parliament (MP) Agnes Pareyio, Narok County Commissioner Kipkech Lotiatia and a host of gender activists from Narok County.
By Ann Salaton
